Conway ‘can’t wait’ to get started with ECR

12 December 2013

Mike Conway is usually a quiet, calm guy but was clearly excited to be at the Ed Carpenter Racing headquarters as he prepares for his first testing run in the #20 Fuzzy's Ultra Premium Vodka Chevrolet next week at Sebring.

Conway sat in the race car for the first time on Monday, as the crew worked to fit him in the machine for the upcoming 18-19 December test. The Briton returned to the IndyCar Series in impressive style last season as he dominated the opening round of the Chevrolet 'Duals in Detroit' at Belle Isle. He also scored the pole position in the second Belle Isle race that weekend and placed third in the race.

Despite having been seriously injured in the 2010 Indy 500, Conway made a sensational comeback to win in the streets of Long Beach in 2011 and now has set his sights on more road and street race victories in 2014, having left AJ Foyt's team for that of former on-track rival Carpenter.

Last month, the American owner-driver announced that he was concentrating his driving on the six oval races next year, while signing Conway to handle the controls of the #20 machine in the twelve road and street events in 2014.

“I can't wait to get started with the ECR guys,” 30-year old Conway admitted, “I'm very excited to run with a team like Ed's. I have worked with many of the crew guys here before and they have a very strong organisation. This team should be a solid effort in 2014.”

Carpenter also expressed his enthusiasm to having Conway on his team for the upcoming campaign.

“Mike is one of the top road racing drivers and we are very pleased to have him onboard with us for 2014,” the two-time IndyCar Series racewinner commented, “As a team owner, I felt bringing Mike into our team would help elevate our operation to the next level, so I'll drive in the oval races and Mike will drive in the road and street events. We feel great about our programme.”

Conway is scheduled to run a two-day test at Sebring next week, running alongside several other IndyCar Series drivers and teams on the track's short course layout.

“It feels good to run the IndyCar before the holidays,” said the Briton, who'll also drive selected sportscar races in 2014, “I've never been able to test an IndyCar before the first of the year, so this opportunity next week at Sebring really has me excited. It will be my first chance to drive the Chevrolet engine also. I'm looking forward to that aspect of the test too.”